This Day In Wrestling History – April 17th‏

1992 – The AJPW Champion’s Carnival is held. Mitsuharu Misawa wins group A and Stan Hansen wins group B, with Hansen winning the final

Events

In 1994, the first WCW Spring Stampede was in Chicago, Illinois

– Lord Steven Regal fought Brian Pillman to a time-limit draw to retain the WCW Television Title
– The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs & Jerry Sags) defeat Cactus Jack & Maxx Payne in a Chicago Street Fight to retain the WCW World Tag Team Titles
– Steve Austin defeats The Great Muta by DQ to retain the WCW United States Title
– Sting defeats Rick Rude to win the WCW International World Title
– Ric Flair fought Ricky Steamboat to a no-contest due to a double pinfall. The WCW World Title was originally handed back to Flair, but was later vacated

In 2011, TNA Lockdown was held in Cincinnati, Ohio. As usual with Lockdown events, all matches were held inside a cage

On this day in 1989, the wrestling world lost Mexican star Villaño II aged just 39. Despite his father, famed luchador Ray Mendoza, attempting to push him away from the business, Villaño made his debut in 1969, alongside his older brother, competing as ‘Los Bestias Negras’. After a spell in the EMLL, the brothers, now joined by a further younger brother, jumped to their father’s UWA promotion. However, soon after making the switch, Villaño II began to cut down on his in-ring work, and had basically retired full-stop by the early 80’s. In the years leading up to his death, he was instrumental in the training of his sons, who would go on to compete as Villaños IV and V. The original official statement showed that he died of injuries sustained in the ring, but it was later revealed that he had committed suicide. He had been battling depression for quite some time prior to his death